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Negation · ne…pas

Wrap the verb with ne…pas. After negation, indefinite articles become de.

Examples

  • Je ne mange pas.I don't eat.
  • Elle n'a pas de chat.She doesn't have a cat.

How it works

To make a sentence negative, wrap the verb in two words: ne (or n' before a vowel) in front, pas behind.

Je mange.I eat.
Je ne mange pas.I don't eat.
Il aime.He likes it.
Il n'aime pas.He doesn't like it.
(n' because aime starts with a vowel)

After a negation, the "a / some" words (un, une, des) and the partitive (du, de la — "some" for things you can't count) all collapse to DE — or d' before a vowel:

J'ai un chat.I have a cat.
Je n'ai pas DE chat. I don't have a cat.
Je veux du pain.I want some bread.
Je ne veux pas DE pain.

I don't want any bread.

Il a des amis.He has friends.
Il n'a pas D'amis.He has no friends.

The definite articles le, la, les do NOT change. The "de rule" only touches the indefinite and partitive ones.

After être (to be) the article stays as it is — être doesn't take the de rule:

C'est un problème.It's a problem.
Ce n'est pas UN problème.It's not a problem.

For c'est ("it is"), the negation is ce + n' + est + pas:

Ce n'est pas facile.It isn't easy.

For il y a ("there is"), ne…pas wraps y a, and the article becomes de:

Il n'y a pas DE pain.There's no bread.

In two-verb tenses, ne…pas wraps the CONJUGATED verb (the one that changes with the subject), never the infinitive (dictionary form: partir) or the participle (past form: mangé):

Je n'ai pas mangé.I haven't eaten.
(not "Je ne mangé pas")
Je ne vais pas partir. I'm not going to leave.

(not "Je vais ne pas partir")

What you'll practise

  1. 1. ne…pas around the verb

    Place ne (or n' before vowel) before the verb and pas after.

    • Je ne mange pas.I don't eat.
    • Il n'aime pas le café.He doesn't like coffee.

  2. 2. Article → de after negation

    un/une/des/du/de la become de (or d' before vowel) when negated.

    • Elle n'a pas de chat.She doesn't have a cat.
    • Je ne veux pas de pain.I don't want bread.

  3. 3. Ce n'est pas

    Negation of c'est: ce + n' + est + pas.

    • Ce n'est pas facile.It's not easy.

  4. 4. Ce n'est pas + noun

    Negation of c'est: ce + n' + est + pas + X. After être the article doesn't change: Ce n'est pas un problème.

    • Ce n'est pas un problème.It's not a problem.

  5. 5. Il n'y a pas de

    Negation of il y a: il n'y a pas + de (article change).

    • Il n'y a pas de pain.There is no bread.

Practise it until it sticks

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